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WB HS Political Science study materials
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WB HS Political Science practice questions

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Question 1Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which of the following best describes the traditional meaning of the term 'political science'?

  1. The study of human behaviour in small groups
  2. The study of past events through material remains
  3. The study of economic production and exchange
  4. The scientific study of the state, government and political institutions Correct answer.

Explanation

Political science in its classical sense focuses on the state, its organs of government and the exercise of public authority. The other options name distinct disciplines rather than the study of politics.

Question 2Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

The word 'politics' is derived from the Greek word 'polis', which means:

  1. Law
  2. City-state Correct answer.
  3. Justice
  4. Power

Explanation

'Polis' referred to the ancient Greek city-state, the political community within which public life was conducted. This etymology links politics to the governance of a community.

Question 3Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Who is generally regarded as the 'father of political science' for his systematic comparative study of constitutions?

  1. Machiavelli
  2. Hobbes
  3. Plato
  4. Aristotle Correct answer.

Explanation

Aristotle is called the father of political science because he studied and compared many constitutions empirically in works such as the Politics. His approach combined observation with classification of regimes.

Question 4Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which approach to politics focuses primarily on formal institutions such as legislatures, executives and courts, and on their legal-constitutional arrangements?

  1. Traditional institutional approach Correct answer.
  2. Systems approach
  3. Behavioural approach
  4. Marxist approach

Explanation

The traditional institutional approach studies politics through formal governmental structures and constitutional rules. It emphasises description and legal analysis of institutions rather than individual behaviour.

Question 5Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

The behavioural revolution in political science is most closely associated with which emphasis?

  1. Textual interpretation of classical philosophy
  2. Legal analysis of statutes
  3. Empirical study of observable political behaviour Correct answer.
  4. Normative prescription of ideal constitutions

Explanation

Behaviouralism stressed empirical, observable and quantifiable study of political behaviour, aiming for value-neutral generalisations. It shifted attention from formal institutions to actors and processes.

Question 6Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which thinker is most associated with the view that politics is essentially about 'who gets what, when and how'?

  1. John Locke
  2. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  3. Max Weber
  4. Harold Lasswell Correct answer.

Explanation

Harold Lasswell famously defined politics as the study of influence and the influential, summarised as 'who gets what, when, how'. This formulation highlights the distribution of values and resources through power.

Question 7Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

According to Max Weber, a defining feature of the modern state is that it:

  1. Operates without any legal order
  2. Claims a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force Correct answer.
  3. Is controlled directly by all citizens in assembly
  4. Guarantees equal wealth for all citizens

Explanation

Weber characterised the state as the human community that successfully claims a monopoly of the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory. Legitimacy distinguishes state coercion from mere force.

Question 8Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which of the following statements best captures the difference between political theory and political science?

  1. Both are exclusively concerned with legal rules
  2. Political theory is empirical and descriptive, while political science is purely normative
  3. Political science studies only elections, while political theory studies only constitutions
  4. Political theory is normative and philosophical, while political science is largely empirical and explanatory Correct answer.

Explanation

Political theory tends to be normative and philosophical, asking what ought to be, whereas political science emphasises empirical description and explanation of political phenomena. The two are complementary rather than opposed.

Question 9Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

The systems approach to politics, associated with David Easton, analyses political life primarily in terms of:

  1. The psychological traits of leaders
  2. Inputs, outputs and feedback within a political system Correct answer.
  3. The divine right of kings
  4. Class conflict and surplus value

Explanation

Easton modelled politics as a system that receives demands and supports as inputs, produces authoritative decisions as outputs, and adjusts through feedback. This framework treats the political system as a boundary-maintaining whole.

Question 10Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

In political science, the term 'power' is most commonly understood as:

  1. The total wealth held by a government
  2. The number of citizens in a state
  3. The legal authority to make laws
  4. The capacity to influence the behaviour of others, even against their resistance Correct answer.

Explanation

Power refers to the ability to affect the behaviour of others, often against opposition, and is distinguished from authority, which involves a recognised right to command. Power may rest on coercion, persuasion or resources.

Question 11Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which of the following best illustrates the concept of 'authority' as distinct from mere power?

  1. A firm threatening to dismiss workers
  2. A country using military force to occupy another
  3. A teacher whose students comply because they accept her right to direct the class Correct answer.
  4. A robber forcing a victim to hand over money

Explanation

Authority involves a recognised right to command and a corresponding acceptance of that right by those subject to it. Compliance based on accepted legitimacy differs from compliance secured by force or threats.

Question 12Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

The concept of 'legitimacy' in political science refers to:

  1. The popularity of a government's economic policy
  2. The belief that a ruler or regime has the right to rule Correct answer.
  3. The physical capacity to enforce orders
  4. The legal validity of a statute

Explanation

Legitimacy concerns the belief among the governed that a regime or ruler has the right to exercise authority. It is a matter of justified acceptance rather than mere legality or coercive capacity.

Question 13Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which of the following is a central criticism levelled against the behavioural approach in political science?

  1. It studies only historical documents
  2. It rejects empirical observation
  3. It relies too heavily on mathematical models
  4. It tends to neglect values and normative questions Correct answer.

Explanation

Critics argue that behaviouralism's pursuit of value-neutral, empirical generalisation neglects normative questions about justice and the good society. The post-behavioural movement urged attention to relevance and values.

Question 14Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

The 'post-behavioural revolution' in political science is associated with the demand that the discipline should:

  1. Reject the study of power
  2. Abandon empirical research entirely
  3. Be more relevant to pressing social problems and values Correct answer.
  4. Focus exclusively on formal legal institutions

Explanation

Post-behaviouralism, articulated by figures such as David Easton, argued that political science must address real social problems and normative concerns rather than pursue pure value-free science. It sought relevance without discarding empirical methods.

Question 15Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which of the following best describes the 'normative' dimension of political theory?

  1. It prescribes how political life ought to be organised Correct answer.
  2. It describes how institutions actually function
  3. It measures public opinion through surveys
  4. It predicts election results statistically

Explanation

The normative dimension concerns values and prescription, asking how political arrangements ought to be ordered according to principles such as justice and liberty. It contrasts with empirical description of how things actually are.

Question 16Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which approach treats politics primarily as a struggle between social classes rooted in economic relations?

  1. Institutional approach
  2. Elite theory
  3. Marxist approach Correct answer.
  4. Pluralist approach

Explanation

The Marxist approach analyses politics through class conflict and the economic base, viewing the state as shaped by dominant class interests. Other approaches locate power differently, in elites, groups or institutions.

Question 17Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

In pluralist theory, political power is understood as:

  1. Concentrated in a single ruling class
  2. Determined solely by the constitution
  3. Held exclusively by the bureaucracy
  4. Widely distributed among competing interest groups Correct answer.

Explanation

Pluralists argue that power is dispersed among many competing groups, none of which dominates all issues, so policy results from bargaining and compromise. This contrasts with elite and Marxist accounts of concentrated power.

Question 18Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

A researcher who studies voting behaviour by analysing survey data on individuals' attitudes and social backgrounds is working within which tradition?

  1. Constitutional-legal analysis
  2. Behavioural political science Correct answer.
  3. Classical political philosophy
  4. Normative political theory

Explanation

Survey-based study of individual attitudes and behaviour exemplifies the behavioural tradition's emphasis on empirical, observable data and generalisation. It treats political behaviour as a subject of systematic measurement.

Question 19Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

Which statement most accurately reflects the relationship between political science and other social sciences?

  1. Political science is identical to sociology
  2. Political science is a branch of natural science
  3. Political science is interdisciplinary, drawing on history, economics, sociology and psychology Correct answer.
  4. Political science is wholly independent and borrows nothing from other disciplines

Explanation

Political science is interdisciplinary, using insights and methods from history, economics, sociology, psychology and law to explain political phenomena. This borrowing enriches its methods without erasing its distinct focus on power and governance.

Question 20Political Science: Nature, Scope and Approaches

A scholar argues that a constitution should be judged by whether it secures liberty and justice, rather than merely by whether it is widely obeyed. This argument belongs primarily to:

  1. Empirical political science
  2. Normative political theory Correct answer.
  3. Behavioural analysis
  4. Systems analysis

Explanation

Judging institutions by standards such as liberty and justice is a normative inquiry into what ought to be valued, characteristic of political theory. Empirical approaches instead describe and explain actual behaviour and obedience.

Question 21State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which political thinker is most closely associated with the doctrine of absolute and indivisible sovereignty set out in Leviathan?

  1. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
  2. Jean Bodin
  3. John Locke
  4. Thomas Hobbes Correct answer.

Explanation

Hobbes argued in Leviathan that to escape the state of nature people authorize a sovereign whose power must be absolute and undivided. Bodin is also linked to sovereignty but is famous for the earlier formulation of the concept in his Six Books of the Commonwealth.

Question 22State, Sovereignty and the Nation

In political theory, the term 'nation' is best defined as

  1. a formal organisation that contests elections for public office
  2. a legal territory bounded by internationally recognised borders
  3. the institutions that make and enforce laws within a territory
  4. a group of people who share a sense of common identity and belonging Correct answer.

Explanation

A nation refers to a community of people bound by shared identity, which may rest on language, culture, history or a sense of common destiny. Territory and institutions describe the state rather than the nation.

Question 23State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which of the following is a defining feature of a sovereign state under international law?

  1. A permanent population, a defined territory and a government capable of independent authority Correct answer.
  2. Membership of a regional trade organisation
  3. A single official language spoken by all citizens
  4. A written constitution and a bill of rights

Explanation

The conventional criteria for statehood emphasise a permanent population, a defined territory, government and the capacity to enter into relations with other states. Constitutional form, economic alliances and linguistic uniformity are not required.

Question 24State, Sovereignty and the Nation

The idea that sovereignty ultimately rests with the people rather than a monarch is known as

  1. legal sovereignty
  2. external sovereignty
  3. popular sovereignty Correct answer.
  4. parliamentary sovereignty

Explanation

Popular sovereignty locates supreme authority in the collective will of the people. Parliamentary and legal sovereignty concern the location of law-making authority within institutions, while external sovereignty concerns independence from other states.

Question 25State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which distinction correctly separates a 'state' from a 'government'?

  1. A state is permanent and institutional, while a government is the temporary body that exercises authority Correct answer.
  2. A state lasts only as long as its ruling party holds office
  3. A government is permanent, while a state changes with every election
  4. A state is a cultural community, while a government is a legal territory

Explanation

The state is the enduring set of institutions and territory that persists over time, whereas a government is the particular set of officeholders exercising state authority at a given moment. Governments change while the state continues.

Question 26State, Sovereignty and the Nation

The Treaty of Westphalia of 1648 is significant in the study of sovereignty because it

  1. established the principle of territorial sovereignty and non-interference among states Correct answer.
  2. introduced universal adult suffrage in European states
  3. created the United Nations and its Security Council
  4. abolished monarchy throughout Europe

Explanation

The Westphalian settlement is conventionally associated with the emergence of a system of territorially sovereign states that recognise each other's independence. It did not create modern international organisations or establish democratic suffrage.

Question 27State, Sovereignty and the Nation

A state that is legally sovereign but whose government routinely follows directives from a more powerful neighbouring state most clearly lacks

  1. internal sovereignty in the sense of a monopoly of legitimate force
  2. a permanent population
  3. external sovereignty in the sense of effective independence from outside control Correct answer.
  4. the capacity to hold elections

Explanation

External sovereignty concerns a state's effective independence from the control of other states. A government that consistently obeys outside directives has formal independence but weak external sovereignty, even if it still holds elections and controls its population.

Question 28State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which theory holds that a nation is defined by shared descent and inherited ethnic characteristics rather than by political choice?

  1. Primordialist or ethno-cultural nationalism Correct answer.
  2. Constitutional patriotism
  3. Civic nationalism
  4. Multicultural citizenship

Explanation

Ethno-cultural or primordialist accounts treat the nation as rooted in ancestry, kinship and inherited culture. Civic nationalism and constitutional patriotism, by contrast, treat national membership as based on political commitment and shared institutions.

Question 29State, Sovereignty and the Nation

A region with a distinct language and culture seeks recognition as an independent state but its claim is rejected by most existing states. This illustrates the tension between

  1. the rule of law and administrative discretion
  2. the separation of powers and judicial review
  3. the right of self-determination and the principle of territorial integrity Correct answer.
  4. federalism and decentralisation

Explanation

Claims to secession rest on the principle of self-determination, while existing states defend their territorial integrity. Recognition practice generally favours territorial integrity unless exceptional circumstances apply.

Question 30State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which statement best captures the relationship between a nation-state and a multinational state?

  1. A nation-state is one in which a single national community predominates, while a multinational state contains two or more national communities Correct answer.
  2. A multinational state is one that has joined a customs union
  3. A nation-state contains several recognised nations, while a multinational state contains only one
  4. Both terms refer to states that have adopted a written constitution

Explanation

A nation-state is closely identified with one predominant national community, whereas a multinational state encompasses several distinct national communities within one political framework. Constitutional form and economic arrangements are unrelated to this distinction.

Question 31State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which thinker argued that sovereignty must be single, indivisible and inalienable, rejecting any division of supreme authority?

  1. Alexis de Tocqueville
  2. Montesquieu
  3. John Stuart Mill
  4. Jean Bodin Correct answer.

Explanation

Bodin held that sovereignty is the supreme and perpetual power in a commonwealth and cannot be divided or transferred. Montesquieu, by contrast, argued for separating governmental powers.

Question 32State, Sovereignty and the Nation

A state ratifies an international human rights treaty that limits how it may treat its own citizens. This is best described as

  1. an abandonment of territorial integrity
  2. a denial of the state's permanent population
  3. an exercise of sovereignty through voluntary self-limitation Correct answer.
  4. a loss of legal personality in international law

Explanation

Sovereign states may voluntarily accept obligations that constrain their future conduct; this is an exercise of sovereignty rather than a loss of it. Legal personality, population and territory are unaffected by treaty commitments.

Question 33State, Sovereignty and the Nation

The concept of 'pooled sovereignty' is most closely associated with which phenomenon?

  1. The establishment of a constitutional monarchy
  2. The dissolution of a state into smaller units
  3. Membership of a supranational organisation such as the European Union Correct answer.
  4. The adoption of a unicameral legislature

Explanation

Pooled sovereignty describes states sharing decision-making authority within supranational institutions, as in the European Union. It involves exercising sovereignty jointly rather than losing it through dissolution.

Question 34State, Sovereignty and the Nation

According to the declaratory theory of state recognition, an entity becomes a state when it satisfies the objective criteria of statehood, and recognition by others is

  1. required only for membership of the United Nations
  2. irrelevant to any legal consequences
  3. evidence of statehood rather than its legal basis Correct answer.
  4. the sole source of its legal status

Explanation

Under the declaratory view, statehood follows from meeting the factual criteria, and recognition merely acknowledges what already exists. The constitutive theory, by contrast, treats recognition as creating statehood.

Question 35State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which of the following best illustrates internal sovereignty?

  1. A state's admission to a regional trading bloc
  2. A state's armed forces repelling an invasion by a neighbouring country
  3. A legislature's ability to make laws binding on all persons and groups within its territory Correct answer.
  4. A government's decision to sign a bilateral trade agreement

Explanation

Internal sovereignty is supreme authority within a territory, expressed in the capacity to make and enforce rules binding on all internal groups. Repelling invasion and joining international bodies concern external relations.

Question 36State, Sovereignty and the Nation

The concept of 'negative sovereignty' as used in development studies refers to

  1. the absence of any legal recognition by other states
  2. the constitutional power to veto legislation
  3. formal legal independence combined with limited effective capacity to govern Correct answer.
  4. a state's refusal to join international organisations

Explanation

Negative sovereignty denotes formal juridical independence, in contrast to 'positive sovereignty', which refers to the real capacity of a state to pursue goals and govern effectively. It is not about recognition or institutional veto powers.

Question 37State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which argument is most consistent with a communitarian defence of national identity?

  1. Cultural belonging should play no role in political obligation
  2. National identity is irrelevant to the functioning of welfare institutions
  3. National identity must be dissolved in favour of global citizenship
  4. Shared national culture provides the trust and solidarity needed for redistributive justice Correct answer.

Explanation

Communitarian defences hold that shared identity and culture generate the mutual trust and solidarity that sustain redistribution and democratic institutions. This contrasts with cosmopolitan positions that downplay national belonging.

Question 38State, Sovereignty and the Nation

A state's constitution divides sovereign power between a central government and regional governments, each supreme in its own sphere. This arrangement is best described as

  1. a confederation of independent states
  2. a federal system with divided sovereignty Correct answer.
  3. a unitary system with devolved administration
  4. a supranational union

Explanation

Federalism divides sovereign authority between central and regional governments, each with constitutionally guaranteed powers in its own sphere. Devolution in a unitary system retains ultimate central authority, and a confederation is a looser union of states.

Question 39State, Sovereignty and the Nation

Which statement most accurately reflects the relationship between sovereignty and globalisation?

  1. Globalisation has reshaped but not abolished state sovereignty Correct answer.
  2. Globalisation concerns only cultural exchange and has no bearing on sovereignty
  3. Globalisation has eliminated state sovereignty entirely
  4. Sovereignty was never affected by economic interdependence

Explanation

Globalisation constrains and reshapes how states exercise authority, for example through markets and international institutions, but states retain legal sovereignty and regulatory capacity. Claims of total elimination or total irrelevance overstate the case.

Question 40State, Sovereignty and the Nation

A state's constitution divides sovereign power between a central government and regional governments, each supreme in its own sphere. Which concept best describes this arrangement?

  1. Confederation
  2. Unitary state
  3. Devolution
  4. Federalism Correct answer.

Explanation

Federalism is a system in which sovereign power is constitutionally divided between a central government and regional governments, each having final authority in its own sphere. A unitary state concentrates sovereignty in the central government, while a confederation is a loose union of states in which the central authority is subordinate to the constituent units. Devolution involves the transfer of powers from a central government to regional bodies without constitutional entrenchment of divided sovereignty.

Question 41Constitution and Constitutionalism

Which body is described in the Indian Constitution as the guardian of the Fundamental Rights?

  1. The Comptroller and Auditor General
  2. The Supreme Court and the High Courts Correct answer.
  3. The Union Council of Ministers
  4. The Election Commission of India

Explanation

Under Articles 32 and 226 the Supreme Court and the High Courts can issue writs to enforce Fundamental Rights, which is why they are treated as their protectors. The other bodies exercise different constitutional functions.

Question 42Constitution and Constitutionalism

The idea of a Constituent Assembly to frame India's Constitution was first put forward by

  1. M. N. Roy Correct answer.
  2. B. R. Ambedkar
  3. Sardar Patel
  4. Jawaharlal Nehru

Explanation

M. N. Roy proposed the idea of a Constituent Assembly for India in 1934, and it was later endorsed by the Congress. The other leaders were associated with the framing or adoption of the Constitution but not with originating the proposal.

Question 43Constitution and Constitutionalism

The Preamble of the Constitution of India declares the source of its authority to be

  1. the people of India Correct answer.
  2. the Parliament of India
  3. the President of India
  4. the Constituent Assembly

Explanation

The Preamble opens with 'We, the People of India', making the people the ultimate source of constitutional authority. Institutions created by the Constitution derive their power from it rather than creating it.

Question 44Constitution and Constitutionalism

Which of the following is a Directive Principle of State Policy rather than a Fundamental Right?

  1. Protection of life and personal liberty
  2. Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion
  3. Promotion of international peace and security Correct answer.
  4. Equality before the law

Explanation

Article 51 directs the State to promote international peace and security, and it is a Directive Principle. The other three are Fundamental Rights under Articles 14, 21 and 15 respectively.

Question 45Constitution and Constitutionalism

The Constitution of India came into force on

  1. 15 August 1947
  2. 26 November 1949
  3. 9 December 1946
  4. 26 January 1950 Correct answer.

Explanation

The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 but came into force on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day. The other dates mark different events in the constitutional process.

Question 46Constitution and Constitutionalism

A written constitution that limits the powers of government and is enforceable by courts is best described as

  1. parliamentary sovereignty
  2. federalism
  3. absolutism
  4. constitutionalism Correct answer.

Explanation

Constitutionalism means government limited by a constitution and accountable to law, not merely the existence of a constitutional document. The other terms refer to different principles of organising power.

Question 47Constitution and Constitutionalism

The Fundamental Duties of citizens were added to the Constitution by which amendment?

  1. 73rd Amendment
  2. 44th Amendment
  3. 42nd Amendment Correct answer.
  4. 52nd Amendment

Explanation

The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 inserted Part IVA (Article 51A) listing Fundamental Duties on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. The other amendments dealt with different subjects.

Question 48Constitution and Constitutionalism

In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), the Supreme Court held that Parliament's amending power

  1. extends to every provision without exception
  2. is limited only by Fundamental Rights
  3. cannot destroy the basic structure of the Constitution Correct answer.
  4. can be exercised only with a referendum

Explanation

The Court recognised the amending power under Article 368 but held that it cannot be used to damage the basic structure of the Constitution. This doctrine limits amendment without denying the power itself.

Question 49Constitution and Constitutionalism

A state legislature passes a law that restricts a citizen's freedom of speech on grounds not listed in Article 19(2). Applying constitutional principles, the law is most likely to be

  1. valid because speech is not a protected right
  2. upheld because states may add new grounds
  3. upheld if the Governor approves it
  4. struck down as violating a Fundamental Right Correct answer.

Explanation

Article 19(2) contains an exhaustive list of permissible restrictions on free speech, so a new ground not within that list violates the Fundamental Right. Approval by a Governor cannot cure a constitutional defect.

Question 50Constitution and Constitutionalism

Which writ is issued to release a person unlawfully detained?

  1. Mandamus
  2. Certiorari
  3. Quo warranto
  4. Habeas corpus Correct answer.

Explanation

Habeas corpus commands the detaining authority to produce the person and justify the detention. The other writs address different grievances such as compelling action or quashing orders.